Acts 11:16
in Acts 11Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
KJV
Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
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This verse in Acts 11
Commentary
9 notes on this verseBut he is not content even with what was said above, and recalls also the saying of the Lord: "You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Nothing new happened, he says, but only what He had foretold. But, they will say, there was no …
This site's exposition
I remembered the word
on Acts 11:16-18
Peter recalls the Lord's word, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, the promise of 1:5 now fulfilled in a Gentile house. Since God gave them the same gift He gave us, he asks who was I to hinder the work of God? The objectors fall silent and glorify God, saying God has granted even the Gentiles repentance that leads to life.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Saying to them, "Who have received the Holy Ghost even as we." And not content with this, he reminds them also of the words of the Lord: "Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." He means, that no new thing has happened, but just what the Lord foretold.
Peter showed in his defense that he had by no means been the cause, but God everywhere. For he said, he himself set me in the excess of mind, he himself pointed out the sheet, and I indeed even contradicted; again the same he himself …
The people received John, who was less than Christ. They reflected and thought, "Perhaps he is the Christ." But they did not receive him who had come, who was greater than John. Do you want to know the reason? Recognize this: John's baptism could be seen; the baptism of Christ was invisible. John said, "For I baptize you in water, but he who comes after me is greater than I. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire." When does Jesus baptize "with the Holy Spirit"? And again, when does he baptize "with fire"?
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said,.... Just before his ascension, Act 1:5. John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost; as they were on the day of Pentecost, and as now Cornelius and his family were; and since they had the greater baptism, the baptism of the Spirit, the lesser baptism of water could not be denied them.
This plainly intimated, First, that the Holy Ghost was the gift of Christ, and the product and performance of his promise, that great promise which he left with them when he went to heaven. It was therefore without doubt from him that this gift came; and the filling of them with the Holy Ghost was his act and deed.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost - These words are very remarkable. The words of our Lord, as quoted Act 1:5, to which St. Peter refers here, have been supposed by many to be referred to the apostles alone; but here it is evident that St. Peter believed they were a promise made to all Christians, i.e. to all, whether Jews or Gentiles, who should believe on Jesus Christ.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The word of the Lord - See the notes on Act 1:5.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐμνήσθην | emnesthen | I remembered | G3403 → | |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ῥήματος | rhematos | declaration | G4487 → | 68 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κυρίου, | kuriou | Lord, | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ὡς | hos | how | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ἔλεγεν· | elegen | He was saying: | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| Ἰωάννης | ioannes | John | G2491 → | 134 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| ἐβάπτισεν | ebaptisen | baptized | G907 → | 76 times |
| ὕδατι, | hudati | with water, | G5204 → | 76 times |
| ὑμεῖς | humeis | you yourselves | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| βαπτισθήσεσθε | baptisthesesthe | will be baptized | G907 → | 76 times |
| ἐν | en | with [the] | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| πνεύματι | pneumati | Spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| ἁγίῳ. | hagio | Holy. | G40 → | 220 times |
ἐμνήσθηνI remembered
emnesthenG3403 →
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
ῥήματοςdeclaration
rhematosG4487 →68 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
κυρίου,Lord,
kuriouG2962 →711 times
ὡςhow
hosG5613 →500 times
ἔλεγεν·He was saying:
elegenG3004 →1325 times
ἸωάννηςJohn
ioannesG2491 →134 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
ἐβάπτισενbaptized
ebaptisenG907 →76 times
ὕδατι,with water,
hudatiG5204 →76 times
ὑμεῖςyou yourselves
humeisG4771 →2973 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
βαπτισθήσεσθεwill be baptized
baptisthesestheG907 →76 times
ἐνwith [the]
enG1722 →2738 times
πνεύματιSpirit
pneumatiG4151 →378 times
ἁγίῳ.Holy.
hagioG40 →220 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 3:11I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and…
it leads to
- Acts 1:5
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Luke 3:16
John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 4:4
when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.
- Zechariah 13:9
This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They…
- Acts 1:5
Through
Acts 1:5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
it leads to
- Matthew 3:11
I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 11:15–16
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 12:13
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 3:11
Through
Luke 3:16John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with…
it leads to
- John 1:33
I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize…
- John 1:33
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 24; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 24 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.